


Family

by flowerpetalsandwrittenwords



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Canon Divergence, F/M, Family Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Mostly Fluff, Relationship Fluff, set in season 6
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 03:13:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28646583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowerpetalsandwrittenwords/pseuds/flowerpetalsandwrittenwords
Summary: When Hotch and Emily are brought closer through circumstance and kindness, they enjoy a new depth in their relationship. This is disturbed when Emily's past comes back to haunt not only her, but Hotch and his son, Jack, as well. Ian Doyle blames Emily for the loss of his son, so what would he do when he believes her to have a family of her own?
Relationships: Aaron Hotchner/Emily Prentiss
Comments: 16
Kudos: 42





	1. Chapter 1

“Hotch!” Emily calls when she sees him moving quickly down the hall. He turns back towards her and smiles when she catches up to him and asks, “How did Jack do on his social studies project?”  
  
Hotch reaches into his briefcase and pulls out a piece of paper, passing it over to Emily. “100. Jack wanted you to see it and read the comments from his teacher. He is very proud. Thank you,” Hotch says with the pride of a loving father. 

Emily reads through the comments intently as they walk towards the squad room. The teacher congratulated Jack on his discussion of various cultures around the world. The teacher had written a number of other compliments as well, and as Emily reads each one, she grows more and more proud of Jack. “Oh, this is so great,” Emily says quietly as she finishes reading. 

“We owe you a lot of thanks for helping him with it. I honestly had no idea how to help him with this. Thank you,” Hotch repeats as he pours himself a cup of coffee. 

“What are you two up to?” Morgan asks with JJ, Garcia, Rossi, and Spencer following closely behind. 

Emily turns to them excitedly, presenting the graded paper in her hands to show the rest of them. “Jack made a 100 on his big end-of-year social studies project!” 

The team looks at her with narrowed eyes, confused by the obvious pride displayed on Emily’s face. “Tell Jack congrats,” Rossi says. 

“You seem really proud, Emily?” The question mark on the end of JJ’s statement is obvious. Emily makes eye contact with JJ for one moment to see her raised eyebrows. 

Emily looks to the others, exhales a breath, and says, “Yes, well, I had the great opportunity to help Jack with his project. I had a lot of fun, and I am glad to have helped.”

A ring on Garcia’s phone disturbs the conversation, and she tells them that they have another case. As the others all walk away, Emily turns back to Hotch with the intention of handing back the paper. “Jack wanted you to keep it. He asked if you would put it on your fridge like we do at home.”  
  
“Aw!” Emily exclaims. “Of course, I will.”

Hotch smiles at her and passes her a cup of coffee. As Emily thanks him with surprise at him giving her coffee, Hotch just nods towards the briefing room. Emily nods and follows his lead. 

As they come closer to the door, Hotch says, “Jack and I had a lot of fun too.” Emily looks up at him. She is smiling when she walks through the door. Hotch immediately puts his usual unemotional look at his face as the briefing begins. Still, he cannot help but look at Emily a little too much and a little too intently. 

* * *

The case goes as it usual does. They can’t save everyone, but they do save one child from a serial killer. It was a bad one. A sadist kidnapping little boys. Everyone would be lying if they said that the victims didn’t make them think of Jack or Henry. Hotch and JJ are a little more on edge than normal, but they aren’t alone. Emily is much more anxious too. 

When they save the final boy, Emily is the one that runs to him first and carries him out to the ambulance. They got him in time. He wasn’t hurt, and they were happy to be able to pass him over to his parents.

In the plane, Emily sits off in a corner seat with a book open. Hotch notices that she hasn’t turned a page in minutes. He leaves a heated conversation of sports statistics between Morgan, Rossi, and Spencer. He moves over to her and sits in the seat across from her. He expects her to look at him then, but she doesn’t. Her eyes turn to the window, which she looks out intently. “Prentiss,” he says quietly as to get her attention but not to notify anyone else.

“Yes?” She asks softly, eyes still out the window.

“This case got to you,” he says simply.

“You profiling me, Hotch?” Emily says playfully, finally looking at him. 

There is an uptick to his lips, but his words are direct. “Is it because of Jack?”

She looks away again. “Yes and no…” A long silence passes between them. He doesn’t push her, and she is grateful. Finally, she says, “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Hotch…” He shrugs but says nothing. He looks out his window. He sees the same clouds and stars in the sky as Emily, but he suspects that their thoughts are in totally different worlds. “Are you not going to ask?” Emily questions, and he is amazed that she seems almost self-conscious which is not normal for her.

“No,” Hotch says. “But nothing you say will change my opinion of you. If you ever want to talk, I’m here.”

She looks back at him with a smile to find his eyes on her now. “Okay,” she says with a smile. She leans her head back on the chair and begins to close her eyes when Hotch hands her a blanket from the back of his chair. She whispers, “Thank you,” before closing her eyes. Emily doesn’t sleep immediately. She is too busy remembering the past, remembering another child that meant so much to her. Eventually, she does fall asleep. 

Hotch, on the other hand, does not sleep on that plane ride. He spends the hours on the plane thinking of his son and watching Emily. He understands that there is much he doesn’t know about her. He has been aware of that all along. There are holes in her story and so much he wants to learn. But he understands that he doesn’t have to. He is happy to know this Emily, the one sitting across from him. He would like to know her more, to know her secrets and her lies, to know her past and future. But he is fine with this. He is fine with sitting a few feet from her where she is cuddled in a blanket. He is just fine. 


	2. Chapter 2

Hotch stands to stretch after completing one stack of paperwork when he sees Prentiss at her desk still while everyone else is gone. He looks to his clock and then back out his window, both pointing to it being close to midnight. 

As he walks from his office, Prentiss picks up her phone. He moves to pour himself a cup of coffee. He tries not to eavesdrop, but he hears some of what she says anyways. “What… How could this happen?” Emily chews on her nails immediately. “Just me or the whole building? No… Yes… Yes, I understand… How long do I have?” The sigh of misfortune, her tell, is obvious across the room. “Okay… Yeah, I’ll be out tomorrow.”

She pushes herself from her desk quickly and goes to stand next to Hotch at the coffee maker. “What’s wrong?” He asks as she pours herself another cup.

“Looks like I’m being kicked out of my apartment,” Emily says. Her voice is a failed attempt at calm that more closely resembles panic. 

“How could that happen?” Hotch asks, setting down his mug and turning to face her fully.

“I don’t know for sure. The landlord was in a panic. My floor and the floor above me are being forced out. And the other floors are soon to follow. He said it was a code thing and that the inspector said he had a reason to sue someone, I don't know. Bad piping and electricity. He said I would be okay to spend the night tonight, but not after that. I have a lot to pack up…” She drifts off while taking a gulp of her coffee. She looks up at him and says with an attempt to inject humor into the moment, “Great way to spend a weekend off, huh?” 

“Stay with us,” Hotch says suddenly. She shakes her head, stunned by his suggestion. “We have a guest room, and Jack would love to spend more time with you…” Emily smiles at the mention of Jack. “Until you get back onto your feet,” he adds quickly.

She looks at him seriously for a moment before saying, “You really mean it?”

“Yes,” he says. “I can help you pack too, if you wouldn’t mind.”

She nods, takes a drink of the coffee, and says, “What about Jack?”

“He has been asleep for a while now. Jessica too. I planned on staying late for paperwork, so I won’t be disrupting any made plans. And before you ask, I would much prefer assisting you with packing than staring at anymore papers,” Hotch says. Prentiss laughs because of course he had read exactly what she was going to ask.

“Well, aren’t you my hero, Supervisory Special Agent Hotchner?” She says, and he smiles. She moves back to her desk, and he goes to his office to pick up his things. 

He joins her back at her desk, and they walk out together. “So do you have anything other than wine in your apartment?” Hotch asks. Emily laughs more at his usual, serious tone than the nature of the question itself.

“Not really. Pizza or Chinese?” Emily asks. 

“Chinese,” he says firmly. 

She smiles and says, “I’ll see you in a few minutes, Hero Hotch.” They turn to part ways and Emily realizes something. She grabs Hotch’s arm, tries to ignore the tensing of his arm through the fabric, and says dramatically, “You’re accepting Sergio too, right? I can’t go on without my man!” He laughs but nods his agreement. He pulls his arm from her grasp gently, and they go in their separate directions. 

* * *

In her apartment, Emily pulls tubs, boxes, and suitcases all from her storage closet. “I suppose it’s a good thing that I don’t throw any of these away.”

“Yeah,” Hotch says as he eats another spring roll while Sergio stretches in his lap.

Emily walks back into the kitchen. “Okay, so I am going to pack up my clothes. What would you like to take?”

“I can do the dishes if you have paper to wrap the breakables in,” he says while petting the cat.

She reaches into a box and says proudly while pulling out a stack of previously used newspapers, “In fact, I do.”

He chuckles when she runs up to the kitchen island and takes her cartons of food before waving goodbye and retreating to her room with several suitcases. Hotch turns toward the cabinetry and hopes that her lack of groceries is equivalent to her dishes. He removes his suit jacket and tie, rolls up his sleeves, and begins packing up quickly, unsurprised to find that his greatest complication arises in the wrapping and storage of large wine glasses. He finishes with that quickly though, and by the time Emily leaves her room, he has already moved onto packing up her bookshelves. 

She is rolling out her suitcases into the hall when she jokes, “Well, aren’t you efficient!”

“Thanks,” he says with a grin. “It’s not as though there was a lot to pack in the kitchen.”

Emily laughs heartedly. “You really are going to keep making fun of me for that, I see! I find it pretty unfair. How often do you cook?” She asks as she moves boxes and a safe as well from her bedroom. 

“Often,” he says seriously as she joins him at the bookshelf. 

“Oh, really? Like what?” She questions. 

“Pancakes,” he says definitively. She raises her eyebrow to him in surprise, and he responds by saying, “I make other things too, but I’m really good at pancakes.”

“Interesting…” She responds as she goes on to pack picture frames, artwork, and vases from around her house. 

“I’ll make you some soon,” he says, and she laughs instantly.

“Good,” she says as she yawns and sits on her couch to rest for a moment. “Getting a furnished apartment is great for a lot of reasons, especially when you are forced out of your apartment in a night.”

“Yeah,” he says, turning to look at her as she yawns again. “Go to sleep, Emily. I’ll keep at it.”

Even as she leans her head back and closes her eyes, she argues, “No, no. If you’re staying up… then so am I…”

“Go to sleep, Emily,” he says quietly and smiles at the sweet peaceful look on her face.

“Nuh uh… Just taking a break… Sit with me,” she says while tiredly patting the couch next to her. She even opens her eyes a little when she gives her last command, so Hotch decides not to refuse her. He stands from where he was sitting and packing the bottom shelves. His back aches and his knees creak after sitting on the ground for so long. He walks slowly over to the couch and sits next to Emily. 

“Sleep, Emily. I’ll get some rest too,” he says but to deaf ears. She has already fallen asleep, and he holds in his laugh at that fact. Her head falls to his shoulder only moments later, preventing him from moving without risk of waking her. Eventually, she turns her whole body into him, and he puts his arm around her back to make them both more comfortable... so he tells himself. In a slow movement, he manages to take the blanket off the back of the couch and wrap it around her. He allows himself only the edge of the blanket that is left over. She doesn’t move for him like he thought she might once warm, but she does relax and no longer shivers. 

Hotch watches the city from out her window for some time before closing his eyes as well. He brings her warmth with the strength of his arm wrapped around her before dozing off to the sound of her steady breathing next to him.


	3. Chapter 3

The ring of a cell phone causes Hotch to jump awake. In their sleep, they had moved to lay on their sides on her couch with Hotch to the back of the couch and facing Emily’s back. He had had his arms around her and pulled her close. Too close. Because of that, when he sits up, he moves to the end farthest from Emily on the couch. 

Hotch sees the caller ID just as Emily shivers from his absence. While still laying with her eyes closed, she mutters, “If it’s work, I’m not coming in.”

“It’s not,” he says while answering the phone. “Hi, Jessica. I was helping a friend and time got away from me…”

“It’s just fine. I do have a doctor’s appointment in a couple hours, so if we could meet somewhere?” Jessica asks.

“Bring him here!” Emily says in an excited whisper, finally sitting up and wiping her eyes. 

He looks at her for a moment to make sure she isn’t just appeasing him before saying, “Actually, Jessica, my friend lives just a few blocks from your house. Could I send you the address and you drop him here?” 

Jessica agrees, and Emily cheers quietly. Over the phone, before Jessica hangs up, they hear Jack ask which friend, and Hotch answers with, simply, “Emily.”

Then, the clapping sounds through the phone along with the shout of joy, “Emmy!”

Hotch had moved the phone from his ear, so she could hear better. She took the opportunity to lean over to the phone and say to Jack, “See you soon, kiddo!”

When the phone is hung up, Emily goes to her room to change and freshen up. Hotch stays behind and goes searching through the small amount of food that she has and is thankful to find precisely what he is looking for. 

Her doorbell rings and she leaves her room now dressed and running a brush through her hair. Passing her kitchen, she falls into step just behind Hotch as he heads to the door. “Is that pancakes I saw you making?” She asks as they reach the door. He gives her a look that borders on a smirk as he pulls the door open.

“Hey, Dad!” Jack says immediately when the door opens before looking over at Emily. “Emmy!” He squeals and runs over to her. 

She bends down to accept his hug and says, “Hey, kid.” She looks up at Jessica, Jack's aunt, who was greeting Hotch, and smiles at her as she stands. “Good morning, Jessica. It’s great to see you again. Come on in. Excuse the mess, please.”

“Good morning, and thank you. Seems like the whole apartment complex is moving out. Jack and I came across so many people carrying boxes and suitcases down the stairs,” Jessica says in wonder. 

“Yes. That is actually exactly what is happening. The building has been ruled unlivable, and I found out last night that I have to be out today,” Emily says, trying to keep the frustration and worry from her voice. 

“That’s terrible. What are you going to do?” Jessica asks, and Emily hesitates to answer.

Hotch answers instead with a look of thanks in his eyes. “Could I talk to you for a minute, Jessica?”

As she nods, Emily takes Jack’s hand and says, “You’re dad is making us pancakes. Why don’t we make sure it’s cooking right, and I can introduce you to Sergio?” Jack follows her lead happily while asking who Sergio is.

Hotch watches them go into the kitchen before turning back to Jessica and saying, “I just didn’t want you to be blindsided. With me having the guest room and her having nowhere to go, I—”

With an understanding smile, Jessica says, “You offered your place until she could get back on her feet.”

“Is that okay with you?” Hotch asks, thinking of what the sister of his late wife would feel at the thought of another woman living in his home with his son. 

Jessica laughs lightly, but her smile is sympathetic. “Aaron, you have ever right to do this, and it shows the good in you that Haley fell in love with. And even if it weren’t _just_ helping out a friend, I would support your decision. Plus, Jack clearly likes Emily, so I doubt he will be disappointed.”

Hotch nods and is saying, “Thank you,” when their attention is drawn by a throat clearing at the kitchen doorway where Emily leans with her thumbs through her belt loops.

“The pancakes are ready. You are welcome to stay and eat with us,” Emily says kindly, looking to Hotch to see him grin, and she releases a sigh of relief. Jessica smiles kindly between the two of them before thanking them and saying she wishes she could, but that she had to get to her appointment. 

Hotch, Emily, and Jack tell her goodbye before retreating to the kitchen where they take their plates and Jack tells them many intertwining stories of the drama of elementary school. When he finally takes a break from speaking, Hotch takes the moment to say, “So, Jack, how would you feel about Emily staying with us for a little while until she gets a new apartment?”

“Like a sleepover?!” Jack looks between them excitedly.

Emily and Hotch smile at each other, and Hotch says, “Yeah, like a sleepover.”

“We can even watch whatever movie you want tonight. Right, Hotch?” Emily says, and he chuckles his agreement. Jack begins to rattle off suggestions, and once they have finished eating, Emily says, “Why don’t you go sit on the couch and play with Sergio while you decide on a movie and pick which candies we will eat with our popcorn?”

“Candy _with_ popcorn?” Jack asks, amazed.

“Oh, yes! Sleepovers with Emily are always epic!” Emily says proudly, and Hotch laughs loudly. 

Jack runs to the couch with Sergio moving in his arms. Hotch and Emily watch him go before moving to the sink with the dishes. He handwashes them, and she dries them before putting them into the packing. “You have every intent of putting my son in a sugar coma,” Hotch says with a chuckle, and she only responds with a proud smile. She moves over to her near empty fridge, throwing out everything that has expired or could go bad in transfer between her apartment and his. “Seems like my son already likes you more than me,” he says while laughing at the way his son is scribbling probably unreadable writing on what must be a list of all that he wants for movie night.

“Yes,” she says with a straightface that breaks out moments later into a sarcastic but kind smile. “Maybe when it comes to candy at sleepovers, but nothing else. You’re his father, Hotch. You’re the most important and influential person to him.” The tenderness in her words brings a smile onto his face. With a grin that conveys his thanks, the two part in their separate direction to continue packing. 

By mid-morning, they have packed all of her things. Hotch, with some help from Jack, moves them to their cars as Prentiss goes to her landlord to hand in her keys. After going to make one last check of her apartment, she heads toward where they had agreed to meet in the parking garage before going. She walks slowly though, giving herself a moment to process it all. It was only an apartment. She has lived in so many places before. All around the world, and mostly not for a long time. But she had been in that apartment for several years now. A tear escapes her eye when she realizes that it was roots for her. The first time that she has had a home in a long time, and, now, it is gone in a moment. Another tear falls as she enters the parking garage, and she sees Aaron putting a final box in the back of her car. She wipes the tear away quickly, but Hotch doesn’t miss it. 

“Emmy, could I ride with you to your apartment? Daddy said I had to ask.”

Hotch looks at her with concern, but she smiles down at the boy as she says, “I’d love that, and if your dad’s okay with it, we can get the movies and candies and popcorn along the way. I know I said movie night, but I’m thinking about all day movies. What do you say, kiddo?”

“Yes!” He squeals and looks to his dad who agrees moments later with a smile. Emily tells Hotch where she plans on taking Jack, and they leave moments later. 

Hotch heads to his apartment where he moves the boxes and suitcases in before beginning to clean up around the house and changing into more comfortable clothes. Emily and Jack pick up several movies before buying candy and popcorn. Emily never lets go of his hand throughout the entire time that they shop, thinking of all the times kids disappeared in only a second. “Thank you, Emmy!” he says as Emily purchases one final chocolate bar, and Emily smiles. 

They drive to Hotch’s apartment, and Jack happily grabs the bags of candy and movies as Emily grabs a few boxes to carry in. Hotch sees them from his window and goes out to them. Once inside with all of Emily’s things still in the boxes, Emily takes a seat on the couch tiredly, and Hotch joins her while Jack sets out all that they have gotten. Hotch raises his eyebrows at all the movies and candy, and when Jack runs off to get them drinks from the kitchen, Emily says, “Sorry, I guess I went a little overboard.”

He gives her a grin, but his face becomes serious only moments later. “Emily, I need you to know that you have no reason to overcompensate. We’re happy to have you here for as long you need.”

She represses a smile as she says, “Well, now, who’s overcompensating? Most bosses aren’t this great to their subordinates.”

“Who said I was doing this for you? Maybe, I just don’t want you sleeping in your cubicle,” he says with false seriousness. Emily’s eyes go wide before she bursts into laughter, and Hotch does the same. 

“Who says I don’t just really want candy and movies?” Prentiss says, continuing the joke. 

“I get candy, but this many Disney movies?”

“Nothing like a kids’ movie to calm the soul,” she says just as Jack runs back in with sodas for all of them. Jack pushes play on the movie he suggested, grabs his favorite blanket and some candy, and climbs onto the couch between Hotch and Emily. 

They filter through movies throughout the day, and they hardly move at all other than to change movies or get new drinks. They eat pizza for lunch and Chinese for dinner, all while watching movies. During this time, they play some children’s card games and draw and play with Jack’s toys on the couch. 

Finally, not long after it gets dark outside, Jack falls asleep with his head propped on a pillow on Emily’s legs and his legs thrown across Hotch’s lap. Prentiss and Hotch finish out the movie to make sure that Jack is asleep, but once it is over, Hotch carries him to bed as Emily takes a quick shower and changes into a set of pajamas. 

Once out, Emily goes on to unpack the rest of her suitcase, putting clothes in the empty drawers and closet. There is one drawer with some clothes in it that she expects to belong to Haley’s sister, and she leaves that alone. She begins to think about storage units as she pulls out the few foods she had brought and her several bottles of wine. She carries them to the kitchen just as the home phone rings. 

She moves over to it and answers, “Hotchner residence.” There is silence. “This is Emily,” she propositions, wondering if maybe it was someone from the team, but there is still silence. “Hello?” she asks, and she hangs up the phone.

“Who was that?” Hotch’s voice announces his presence, and she jumps.

Trying to cover her embarrassment, she says, “Wrong number, I guess.” She puts up the last wine bottle and turns to him. “You know any storage units that I could get.”

“Use mine,” he says, walking to the fridge and grabbing a water bottle and throwing one to her.

She catches it and says, “No, you have done much more than enough.”

“I wouldn’t mind you paying half the unit price while your stuff is there,” he says with a shrug.

“Deal. What about the apartment? What’s my half of the rent?”

“No. You’re getting back on your feet, not paying rent,” he says, resigned. 

“Okay, but I will pay if you change your mind,” she agrees with reluctance due to her pride. 

“Well, I’m going to bed. There’s no way to know when Jack will wake up,” he says. “I hope you’re Saturday wasn’t too boring for you. You probably had other, much more enjoyable, plans.”

Emily shakes her head. “Nothing as entertaining. I really did enjoy myself…” Emily smiles, and Hotch grins at her before heading to his room with a wave. “Night, Hero.”

He looks back at her with the slightest of smirks. “Goodnight, Emmy.” Emily laughs as he walks into his bedroom and closes the door. 

With him gone from eyesight, she releases a breath and looks around his apartment. It is a good place and so very Hotch. She won’t mind this — not at all — which could prove problematic. She will need to find a place and leave soon before she gets too comfortable.

Emily goes to her room and finds one of her most important belongings: her safe. With her door closed and locked, she puts in the code and opens it. All is still there, of course. She doesn’t know why she worries so much, but just one lost paper, one bad decision, one man, and who knows what would happen. She doesn’t want to risk it, so she checks everything. 

Finally, she comes upon her necklace. She sighs because, as always, she is compelled to touch it, gently, carefully. If only, she could bring herself to throw it away. But she can’t. As always, she holds it up her neck without putting it on. Just to feel its weight, emotional and physical. And, as always, she chunks it to the back of the safe in an act of anger only moments later.

If she were to provide an unbiased profile of herself, Emily would say that she is dealing with great trauma that she has yet to move past, and she would suggest therapy. But she can’t talk to anyone about it, and her mind is not clear enough to think straight. Instead, she closes the safe, stands, and climbs into her blankets. She cries, and then she sleeps. That part of her life is over, so when she sleeps, it is peaceful. Mostly.


	4. Chapter 4

Sunday passes quickly and easily. They move Emily’s things into Hotch’s storage unit before returning to the apartment, where they help Jack with math flashcards and play board games and watch more movies. 

As it gets later on Sunday night, Hotch says to Jack, “You will need to sleep soon. You’re just a few days from going back to school, and I don’t want your sleep schedule to be off.”

“But, Daddy, I don’t want to stop playing with Emily,” he whines.

“Emily hasn’t found an apartment yet, so you still have time to play with her,” Hotch tells him softly. He knows that Jack has a newfound closeness with her. He worries that she will become so much of a mother figure that when she leaves, it will bring up Jack’s past trauma.

“Your dad’s right, kid. But even when I do get a place eventually, I’ll still come over and hang out with you whenever you want me to,” Emily says, running her hand against his blonde locks.

“Yay! We can play games, watch movies, and eat  _ candy _ , and you could help me with my homework! Could even read me bedtime stories!” Jack says excitedly while hopping about. Emily looks to Hotch apologetically for his increase in energy. He simply grins at her. Jack stops suddenly and looks at her curiously. “Could you read me a bedtime story now?”

Emily hesitates and looks to Hotch for his opinion. When he nods, she responds, “Of course. I would love to.” Jack reaches for both of their hands when they stand, and, together, they move into his room. Hotch and Emily sit to either edge of Jack’s bed as he picks two books. Emily, upon Jack’s request, reads first, and Hotch admires the caring and animated way that she reads. When she is done, Hotch goes on to read, and Emily cannot help but watch him closely. It is another side of him; another side that has been evident her entire time this weekend, but it is especially obvious here as he tells the child’s story with energy. It is Hotch as always. He is not wholly different. But he is Aaron, the father, here. And she feels her heart swells at watching it. 

When the book is finished and Jack is asleep, Emily stands and moves to the doorway, looking back just in time to see Aaron kiss his son’s forehead. She smiles before moving to the kitchen. She is pouring a glass of wine when she looks back to see Hotch looking at her with a raised eyebrow. 

“I’m just having one glass, Hotch. Swear I won’t be drunk at work tomorrow. In fact, you are welcome to join me,” he chuckles but shakes his head, grabs a water bottle. Moving to his bedroom, he repeats what he said the night before, “Goodnight, Emmy.”   
  
“Night, Hero.”

* * *

Emily jumps awake at the sound of her alarm clock and sighs. It is time to get moving, and having hit snooze a few too many times, she has to be quick about it. She changes, straightens her hair, and walks from her room with her go-bag over her shoulder.    
  
“Good morning, Emily,” Jessica says as soons Emily steps into the living room. 

“Good morning,” Emily responds while looking around for Hotch. “Has he left already?” A response in the affirmative causes her to laugh while looking at the clock that just seems too early to move let alone to have already left though it is not long before she needs to be in her office. Then again, she did stay up too late reading, and drinking. 

“I should get on my way before I get my boss and roommate mad at me,” she says with a laugh.

“You should have gone in together,” Jack says, appearing from the kitchen covered in the white of powdered donuts. “Save the Earth, like I learned at pre-school last year.”   
  
“Exactly. We should talk to your dad about carpooling,” she says jokingly. 

“Okay! Bye, Emmy!” He runs over to give her a hug, but Jessica stops him before she can become covered by the powder from the donuts.   
  
“I’ll see you later, kid! Have a good day, Jessica!” Emily says before leaving the apartment. She all but runs out to her car, driving quickly to work but still getting caught in traffic, and entering the building in a hurry. She leans her head against the wall of the elevator as she rides up, trying to ignore the pressing headache. 

She walks to her desk, only waving off the rest of the team’s questions about her unusual lack of punctuality. Setting her things down, she looks into Hotch’s office to find the lights off and the door closed. “Where’s Hotch?” she asks before heading to the coffee machine. 

“Not in yet,” Seaver says simply, returning to her paperwork. She has been in the office for a little over a month and JJ has been at the State Department even longer. 

“Highly unusual,” Spencer begins before continuing onto a statistic he cultivated of how common it is for Hotch to be in before the rest of them.

“And Emily is usually the second in,” Rossi says. 

“Rough weekend?” Morgan asks, and Prentiss shrugs. The obvious answer is yes, but the first answer that comes to mind is no. She doesn’t know what that could mean. Don’t profile yourself, she thinks, it never ends well.

Hotch walks in only moments later, and he is met by good morning’s rather than entreaties into his lateness. But he waves them off in a similar manner as she had done and retreats to the coffee machine as she takes three ibuprofen with coffee. 

“More than just one glass, Prentiss?” Hotch questions in his usual hard tone for work, but quiet enough that the rest don’t hear.

“You know, I am insulted by that. I just stayed up too late reading.”

“Two glasses?” he asks. 

She looks at him through squinted eyes, and says, “No.” He just looks at her for a moment, and she relents, “Three. You were correct, Profiler. Are you proud?” He shakes his head for a moment as she speaks and then smiles at her question. When she grunts in irritation, he laughs. 

“What’s going on in here?” Garcia suddenly appears at his side, having walked in from the hallway. Prentiss and Hotch shake their heads in the same moment, conveying that it was nothing, and Garcia announces, “We have a case, and it’s a doozy.” Hotch and Prentiss follow the others up the stairs to the briefing room with one last look of humor shared, they dedicate all of their attention to a new unsub.

* * *

Garcia was right. This case is a doozy. A mess of chaos really. Women were being killed once every three days when they got on the plane but it sped up consistently. The unsub was devolving. They went 24 hours straight without sleeping. 

On the second day, Hotch insists that they all go get sleep. Prentiss knows that he won’t, so she makes the move to leave, but when all the others have gone, she turns back around and sits at the table next to Hotch, assisting him with filing through information that could lead them to a suspect. She falls asleep in the middle of the night with her head on the desk without meaning to. When Hotch is sure that she’s deeply asleep, he moves the rolling chair she is sitting in to the couch at the edge of the room and picks her up just enough so that he can lay her down. He pulls off the suit jacket coat he is wearing and lays it over her before returning to his work. He tries not to look at her, but he does.

Prentiss wakes up to the smell of coffee and the sound of voices. She sighs and pulls the blanket closer when she realizes that it smells wonderful. Hotch, she realizes. She sits up immediately, confused by how she got to be laying on the couch with his jacket over her, and thankful for the coffee Morgan hands over. 

She stands quickly and walks back to where she had been sitting the night before. “How long have I been asleep?” she asks Hotch. 

“Four hours,” he says. She notices the four coffee cups in front of him.    
  
“Hotch got us a lead,” Rossi says when he walks in. 

* * *

He had, and it broke the case. They were packing up their things to leave when a rainstorm came down, and Hotch got a call from the pilot that they couldn’t leave until the storm let up. He texted the team right after. He moved to look out the window as he thinks of what to tell Jack. It is late in the afternoon now, though it looked like midnight by the color of the sky. He had hoped that they would get home in time to read his son a bedtime story and maybe even eat dinner together. But he wasn’t so lucky. Side effects of the job, he thought painfully. He hates it. He really does. He picks up his phone and dials Jessica’s number.

Prentiss was taking a rushed shower when she got the message, and she sighed. She thought of Hotch and Jack first. How they will have to go another night without seeing each other. Then, a part of her mind realizes how strange that is for her to think of, and she turns her pity to herself and her want for a glass of wine in bed. Not as though she has her  _ own  _ bed anymore though. She misses her apartment. Kind of, at least. 

She is out of the shower and towel drying her hair when she hears a knock on the door and answers it immediately in a pair of leggings and a sweater. She says, “Hey,” but immediately quiets when she sees Hotch pointing to the phone he is holding. 

He covers the speaker and says, “Jack was hoping to speak to you. But if you’re busy—”

“Do I look busy?” She asks rhetorically, and continues kindly, “Give me the phone.” She moves to the side for him to enter the room as she begins to speak, “Hey, my favorite kiddo! I wish we could get back today, but the weather had other plans. How are you?”

“I’m good. I miss Daddy and you.” Her heart breaks hearing his words. She gestures for Aaron to sit on the edge of the bed and Emily sits there as well just a couple of feet from hin. 

“I know. I miss you too, and I am positive that your daddy does too.” She hears him sniffle his tears, and she looks over at Hotch to see a sad face that resembles her own though his is much greater and deeper. “What can I do, kiddo?”

“Bedtime story?” he asks pitifully with another sniffle. 

She lay back flat on the bed with her legs still bent over the side, and after thinking a moment, says, “Sure, but I don’t have any books, so I’m going to tell you my own story. Is that okay?”

“Yes, Emmy!” He squeals.

She releases a breath and begins in a dreamy tone, “Once upon a time, there was this superhero. His power wasn’t flying or lasers for eyes, but he had the greater power of intelligence and toughness. In a village far from home, there was a bad guy, hurting people, so the superhero decided he needed to save them. To do this, he brought together his team of superheroes, and they travelled far away. Using their brains and emotions, they worked to save the people, but they had to stop the bad guy. The team was so sleepy though after a long day’s work that they weren’t doing anyone any good, so the main superhero let them go to sleep. Still, he stayed up all night, searching for the one thing that would show them who the bad guy was, and he did, of course. Together, the superhero and his team used what he found and got the bad guy before he could hurt anyone else,” Emily says easily, looking up at a knock on her open door to find Morgan and Garcia, who had travelled for a unique technical aspect of the case, looking in suspiciously. She waves them in. “And guess what, Jack!”

“What, Emmy?” He asks, she can already hear the sleepiness in his voice. 

Her words are quiet, but they all hear them. “That superhero is your dad.”

“Of course he is,” Jack says proudly. “Daddy catches  _ all _ the bad guys… Night night, Emmy.”

“Goodnight, Jack,” she says before handing the phone back over to Hotch as Rossi, Spencer, and Seaver join them just as suspiciously. 

“Goodnight, Jack… I love you too,” he says before hanging up the phone. 

“So… when did you start reading bedtime stories to other people’s kids?” Morgan asks, and neither her nor Hotch make any move to stand from the edge of the bed. 

“This weekend,” she answers, and she ignores the looks of confusion on their faces. “So I kinda lost my apartment this weekend.”

“What?” Garcia asks, instantly concerned. 

“Turns out my apartment building has been unsafe the whole time I lived there, and an inspection on Friday finally informed the apartment owner of that. I had to be out on Saturday. Found out when I was working on paperwork at the office. Hotch offered his guest room until I could get a new apartment… That’s all,” she says finally, and they all look widely at her and Hotch in surprise. Prentiss and Hotch both wonder if the surprise is more because he offered or because she accepted. 

“And now, you read Jack bedtime stories?” Morgan asks again, as they all appear to wrap their mind around this new information. 

“Yes,” she answers without hesitation or any need to explain further. “Now, who wants to get food?”

“And wine?” Rossi suggests. 

“Yes!” Seaver and Garcia say at once, and they all head to the hotel restaurant then in agreement. Hotch and Emily are naturally the last to walk out as they were the farthest into the room. Emily grins at him as they follow behind the energetic group.    
  
“Thanks for what you did with Jack,” Hotch says softly. 

“Anytime,” she responds easily, and Hotch knows that she is telling the truth. 

* * *

Dinner passes by well, and with the thanks of both Hotch and Emily, little is said about their current living situation. Emily sits across from Hotch at the circular table. About halfway into dinner, Spencer asks her, “What’s it like living with Hotch?”

“Good. I’m thankful, and I will happily watch kid's movies with Jack for hours on end,” she says honestly while taking another bite of her food. 

“What about you, Hotch?” Morgan asks him. 

“Good,” he says before a grin approaches his mouth when he continues, “Aside from the 11 wine bottles now taking up space.”

Emily laughs, along with the other, but argues, “Five.”

“I will have Jessica send a picture right now,” he says with a straight face and his signature glare. 

“Fine…” She relents, putting on an anguished look as the others laugh only to smile moments later when Aaron smirks at her. 

* * *

After dinner and several more rounds of drinks, the team retires to their rooms. Emily walks in sleepy and is immediately caught off guard by the smell of the room. She knows what flowers they are before she even turns on the light. She sees the purple flowers immediately and the memories return. She sees herself being dragged away from the mansion she had been living in. She remembered how she had dropped the flowers on the ground when looking at him. She remembered it all, and she cursed herself for the pain and fear that arises in her chest. 

She pulls out her gun while locking the door behind her. She checks the closet and the bathroom and beneath the bed, and she sighs of relief when she finds nothing. She feels crazy. After all, he’s imprisoned, but that doesn’t change the fact that she puts a chair in front of the door and lays down in bed, still in wearing her clothes from earlier and her shoes with her gun in her hand beneath her pillow. 

She does sleep, but she has nightmares too. The worst one causes her to jump awake, catching her breath. She is happy to see Hotch’s name appear on her phone with a text,  _ One hour till wheels up. _ She begins to breath steadily. Soon, she will be surrounded by her friends, and she will feel safe. 


	5. Chapter 5

Hotch gives the team a day off with a late morning start the following day when they return home, and Emily spends that time with Hotch and Jack. They go shopping for the few school supplies Hotch had yet to get as well as some more school clothes. Hotch capitalizes on Emily’s presence by requesting her help with Jack’s first day outfit.

When they get back to the apartment, they watch whatever Jack wants, play his games, and organize his backpack. Jack is antsy, and Emily can feel how scared he is. Kindergarten is a big deal of course, but she has joined in with Hotch’s description that it will be just like pre-school, only a little longer. 

Emily and Hotch put him in bed together, and once Emily is finished reading the story he chose for her, Jack asks in a pitiful but hopeful voice, “Can you come to drop me off at school tomorrow?” Emily hesitates as he begs, “Please, Emmy. Please…” 

Emily looks at Hotch, and he grins at her easily. He looks worried, but Emily takes his grin as acceptance, and she says, “Sure, kid. I’d love to. You’re going to have such a great day. I can’t wait to hear all the stories you come home to tell.” She gets up after wishing him goodnight with only one look back at Hotch and Jack, she moves into the kitchen and pours a glass of wine. 

She hears his footsteps behind her and expects him to grab a water bottle and retire to his room, but she hears him sniffle as he walks to stand next to her. He leans back against the counter as he stares forward. “Pour me a glass?” The question mark only arrives at the end of his sentence, and Emily smiles. 

“Finally,” she jokes, but there is an ease in her voice, a gentleness. She pours his glass and hands it over before she ever looks away from the cabinetry and at him. They take a long drink in the same moment and then she turns her head. His eyes are glassy. She wonders if he will cry. More so, she wonders what she will do if he does. “He’s going to do great! He’s so smart and kind!” She takes a moment’s breath, hoping that look will leave his face. It doesn’t. “And I can stay back if you want me to. I’ll take all the blame. Seriously, just say I felt sick or something, and I need to sleep in. Or that Penelope needed dire help in search of a lost unicorn figurine. Anything.”

He laughs at her for the second excuse suggestion. When the laughter ends, he says, “No, no. Jack really wants you there. And I would be happy to have someone there to pull me away from the room when I can’t stand there any longer.”

She extends her hand, turning fully to face him. “Deal.” He accepts her hand, shaking it firmly. He drinks the rest of the glass, and he tilts it over to her. She pours another glass for him though it is less than before. He glares at her, and she laughs. “You don’t want to be drunk crying tomorrow along with proud dad crying. It won’t be a good look.”

He laughs and sighs in acceptance. He takes slow sips of the wine. Emily leans her hip against the counter, looking at Hotch’s side profile as he leans his back against the counter. She drinks her first glass of wine slowly. She knows she needs to be clearheaded in performing her duties tomorrow. Hotch reaches to the counter on the other side of him and picks up a picture frame. She knows it is of Haley before she can even see it. In fact, it is the family picture of Haley, Hotch, and Jack when Jack was a baby. “Such a beautiful picture,” she says honestly.

“Yes,” Hotch agrees in a dreamy voice. He turns his eyes to Emily and says, “I just wish she could be there for this. I don’t care if we were married or divorced or incapable of speaking a single word to one another. I just wish she could be here for this.”

Emily nods. She sees the tears accumulating in his eyes. She doesn’t want to say the wrong thing. 

Hotch sniffles, and says, “But I know that I’m not to blame, and I know that she is looking down happy at how he is growing and how wonderful he is.”

“The most wonderful,” she says.

“Yes,” he agrees, and a grin returns to his face, but his eyes are still sad. “Anyways, I am glad that he asked, and I am thankful that you will be there with me tomorrow. He needs a… mother figure, for lack of a better term.”

Emily smiles, maybe a little too much. “He has Jessica,” she reminds Hotch.

“Yes, but…”  _ she’s not you. _ He shakes his head to shake away the thought and whatever it may mean to have been what he thought of.

Mercifully, Emily takes the quiet moment to speak. “Well, no matter what, I will stay in his life. Always.”

A smirk begins to appear on Hotch’s face as he says, “Even if I’m a bastard?”   
  
“ _ Especially _ if you’re a bastard. I’ll happily piss you off in defense of your attitude for the rest of my days,” she says firmly and frankly. He looks at her with a raised eyebrow to find a smirk on her face. He tries to glare for one failing moment before he starts to laugh. Full belly, spasming, sort of laughter. She laughs just a wholly, but keeps a close eye on Hotch. She watches as his eyes turn to the room again, and she notices him wiping spilled tears from his cheeks as he laughs. She loves that she got him to get rid of those tears happily. 

His laughter quiets, and she finishes off her glass before going to put up the bottle. He looks unhappily at her. Almost pouting, and Emily laughs once again. She shakes her head though, taking ahold of the wine glass that he hasn’t finished and pulling it away. She turns to pour it down the sink. “It’s time to sleep, Aaron. We have an early morning tomorrow.”

He grins. “Fine,” he says in a reluctant tone. He grabs a water bottle for himself and tosses one over to Emily before walking toward his room. “Goodnight, Emmy,” he says with a smile. 

“Night, Hero,” she responds, and that night, she sleeps peacefully.

  
  


Emily wakes up to an alarm clock too early in the morning. She has never liked how early kids have to start school, but she hates it now that she’s dropping one off. She changes into one of her usual outfits of black heeled boots, black dress pants, and a purple button-up blouse before fixing her hair and makeup. 

She exits her room in the next moment to find both boys dressed and eating breakfast cereal on the couch while watching a cartoon. “Good morning,” Hotch says with a grin, and then looks from her to his son to point out his obvious apprehension. 

“Good morning!” She says cheerfully, taking a seat next to Jack, rubbing his back, and pouring a bowl of her own cereal. She tries to watch the show with talking rabbits, but she spends breakfast worrying about Jack and Hotch. She’s going to try to make it as easy as possible, but it’s still going to be so hard.

Emily rides with Hotch and Jack, and this cheers Jack up some as he is brought to talking energetically about being green and the importance of carpooling. In one moment of this, Hotch looks over to Emily, and she mouths,  _ So smart. _ He grins and nods his agreement. 

They arrive at the school, and Jack grabs hold of both of their hands as they walk in together. He is obviously nervous as he doesn’t say a word. The school allows the family to take the child to their seat, and Emily and Aaron do precisely that. Jack looks up at them hesitantly, and Aaron says softly squatting down to his level, “Sit down, Jack. This is your seat and the kids around you are going to be your friends.”

“Really?” Jack asks, looking around at the kids at his table.

Emily bends down to look him in the eye. She wants to ruffle the blonde hair, but thinks better of it and touches his cheek instead. “Yes! You’re the best kid ever! I knew from the very moment that I met you that I just  _ had _ to be your friend!” He smiles at her words, and his usual confidence returns.

Jack is introducing himself to his friends, and Aaron and Emily, as the self-proclaimed family friend, are introducing themselves to the parents of the kids when the teacher makes it around to them. “Hello, you must be Jack,” the teacher says to him. After a short greeting, she turns to Aaron and Emily and says, “Hello, I’m Mrs. Turner. It’s so great to have your son in my class.”

“I—” Emily begins to dispute her assumption when Hotch places his hand on his back, stopping her in surprise at his touch, and he thanks the teacher. She tells them of the couple of pages of paperwork to fill out before they leave the school, and Jack, behind.

Jack, in all his cuteness, offers his chair to Aaron as he completes the paperwork, and she can’t help but laugh at Aaron’s large frame folded into the small chair. He glares at her but says nothing. 

She talks to Jack excitedly, occasionally looking at the paperwork over his shoulder. It is in the midst of a conversation about which playground equipment to play on first — swings or monkey bars? — that Emily looks over and sees her name third on the contact sheet, just beneath Aaron and Jessica. It causes an unusual feeling in her chest. Aaron continues to put the names of the rest of the team on the list. She sighs, but she isn’t sure if it is of relief or something else resemblant of disappointment. 

When Hotch is finished with the few pages of paperwork, he stands to return the chair to his son. The other parents are beginning to regrettably stand and leave their children for the day. Hotch bends to him, and he hugs his son tight. “You’re going to have a great day.” Jack nods. 

He always believes in his father, but he is still obviously scared. His bravery pushes the boy to say, “I know, Daddy. Bye, Daddy. Bye, Emmy.”

“Bye, kid. See you later,” Emily says. She takes Aaron by the arm gently without thought and pulls him toward the door. She can see the tears in his eyes, and she pulls him back to the door a little more fiercely. 

With one last wave from the both of them to Jack, they step in the hall. Hotch makes it a few steps before he stops and leans back against the wall with his head in his hands. Emily leans her side against the wall next to him. He wipes away tears she can’t see but knows are there and stands straight up again. She waits a moment before she stands, allowing him to gather himself. “Okay,” is all he says, and they leave.

“We still have quite a while till we have to be at work,” Hotch says when they sit in the car.

“Yes,” she says. Hotch seems to still be distracted as he hasn’t gone to drive away yet. Emily looks to him a moment later with a grin, “Ooo! I know what we should do! Donuts!”

“I don’t think in a small parking lot like this—” He begins and Emily laughs wildly.

“No, no, no,” she says while catching her breath. “I meant the food. Breakfast. Glazed or chocolate. Sprinkles. You know the things.”

“Oh,” he says, a grin spread wide across his face without permission. “Sounds good. We could get enough for the team as they come in.”

“Yes, perfect,” she agrees excitedly. After a pause, Emily says, “So you did a lot of donuts in your youth, huh, Hotch?” He looks at her, attempting to repress another smile, but the corners of his lips do pull up. He speeds out of the school parking lot then without answer.

  
  


They arrive into a mostly empty squad room and set out the box of donuts they got for the team near the coffee machine. Emily goes to her desk for her paperwork, and he goes to his office to complete his. 

Over the next couple of hours, Emily completes the vast majority of the paperwork she had left on that previous Friday as well as what she had to do from this last case. 

Hotch comes out of his office then as Emily breathes relief at completing so much. “Are you finished?” Aaron asks as he pours more coffee into his mug.

“Never,” Emily says with a grin. “But I did finish some of the hard parts. You?”

“Same. I have a lot left to do though,” he says, picking another donut out for himself and asking Emily if she wants one without words. 

Emily nods to the donut and stands to get her own coffee refill. Meeting him at the counter, she asks, “Any calls for cases?” 

“Nothing,” he says. She nods. It’s a good thing of course, but there is no reason to jinx anything just yet. 

“Want some company for the rest of the paperwork? I’m bored out here,” she asks simply before taking a drink of her coffee to hide her face. 

“That would be nice,” he says. She is thankful that the coffee mug is there to cover her smile instead of her disappointment. 

“Okay,” she says. She grabs the entirety of the donut box before picking up her files. As they walk towards his office, Emily looks to him and his raised eyebrow in suspicion. “I won’t eat them all. Promise.” 

He chuckles lightly as he settles at his desk, and Emily sits cross-legged on his couch with the papers displayed on the coffee table and her laptop open next to her. They sit in silence as they work through their paperwork. Hotch looks up at her regularly, and she looks at him just as much, and they both feel the other’s eyes on them though they don’t look up at them. Only when she is observing his focused attention on his work as she takes a short break, does her phone ring and their eyes finally meet. A blush of embarrassment passes her face from being caught staring before she breaks eye contact and looks to the caller ID. 

She inhales a sudden breath at the name,  _ Sean McAllister _ . She exits his office with one last look to Hotch and answers the phone. “Hello, Emily,” Sean McAllister, her previous boss, says on the other end of the phone. 

“What do you want?” She says without any attempt at politeness. 

“I need to speak to you,” he says, and she doesn’t like the concern in his voice. 

“We’re speaking now, Sean,” she says simply.

“I need to meet you,” McAllister argues. 

“I don’t work for you anymore,” she says, and her voice raises. It doesn’t matter though. Hotch has listened to everything she has said so far though he can’t hear a word from the other side of the call. He remembers receiving a letter of recommendation on her behalf from a Sean McAllister as well as Clyde Easter, but there was little information Emily’s connection with the two, and he only read them after she was already a part of his team. Actually, he only read them after she quit the BAU to save his job. He had wanted to understand her better. He found the letters to both demonstrate her integrity, but that was already proven by her actions. 

“Funny, that is exactly was Tsia said,” he says, but there is only sadness in his voice, not humor. “Please, Emily, it’s important. Meet me tonight. It won’t take long, and I’ll buy you a drink if you want one.”   
  


“I have plans,” she says. The begging in his voice almost convinces her, but she doesn’t like the idea of this, and she does have plans after all. Plans with Hotch and Jack that she has no desire to disrupt. 

“I’m serious. I need to speak to you. I will send you the time and the address. If you don’t show up, I will have to come to you. I don’t wish to disturb this life you have created with problems from the past, Emily. But this is important,” he says, and her chest aches in worry.

“Is it about—” she begins, but her voice cracks. 

“I’ll tell you when we meet tonight, but you  _ have _ to show up,” he says. His accent is tainted in pleading. 

“Okay. Send me when and where,” she says. It about  _ him _ . She knows it. She hangs up on him then, and she leans back against the wall that is just beside Hotch’s office door. She didn’t even realize until that moment how panicked her breathing had become. She remembers those flowers in her room and the unknown caller, and she wonders. She pushes away the thought. She doesn’t wish to worry until she has absolute reason to. 

She steps back into the office and is immediately met by Hotch’s concerned eyes. “Is everything okay?” he asks. 

Through pursed lips, she takes a deep breath. “Just fine.” Hotch nods, but he doesn’t believe her. He has recognized that to be her tell for so long. He doesn’t believe her at all, but he trusts her. He’ll leave it alone for now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to all of those reading this!! I'm sorry for how long it took to update. College classes began again and my time to write dwindled. I'm back at it though, and I hope to update more regularly! I would love to hear what anyone has to say about this chapter or the story so far! Thank you!!!
> 
> Also, I edited while sleepy and emotional on a school night, so sorry about that! 💀💜


	6. Chapter 6

Hotch and Emily remain in that office silently for another hour before their paperwork is finished. Hotch messages the team to take the rest of the day off because they had not been called on a case. They go to Emily’s favorite sandwich place for lunch, and then they go to the grocery store to get food for Jack’s favorite meal and some candy and ice cream and popcorn. 

Neither of them speak of Sean McAllister or Emily’s meeting with him at 9 o’clock that night in a bar that she hasn’t been to before. She tells him that she will be gone for a little while after they put Jack to sleep. She knows that she doesn’t have to even tell him that much. They’re only temporary roommates after all, but she wants to. She wants to tell him everything. 

But she doesn’t. They spend the remainder of that time speaking of Jack instead. They discuss their hope that the day has gone well and their worries that it hadn’t. They get all the snacks that he could want and some movies in case it went bad and they need to cheer him up. They both are hoping though that these things will simply be the cherry on top of a great day for him. They won’t say it, but they are hoping for this as much for Jack as they are for themselves. They are both so worried about Emily’s meeting, in different ways, that they need something great to focus on. They need to focus on Jack’s happiness. 

They deliver the groceries at Hotch’s apartment, he changes into jeans and a sweatshirt, and they get immediately back in Hotch’s car to pick up Jack. They have talked so much at this point that as they wait in the drive-through pick up line, they are silent. Hotch watches the traffic move slowly forward as he looks at Emily regularly from the corner of his eye. Emily sits in the passenger seat, staring out the window at the cloudy and darkening sky above them. It’s going to rain tonight. She chews at her fingernails without thought. Memories and worries years old are met with newer ones that compound to cause her intense anxiety and nausea. 

They pull up to where Jack is escorted by a teacher to Hotch’s car, and the smile on his face and the excited wave push their individual worries far away. “Hey, Daddy! Hey, Emmy!” he basically shouts when he gets in the car and buckles into his carseat. 

“How was your school?” Hotch asks.

“Tell us everything!” Prentiss says, turning in her seat to face Jack as Hotch drives them home. 

With an excited giggle, Jack begins and tells them everything about his day. Emily feels happy, truly happy, and she hardly thinks of whatever may come to pass tonight. She listens intently to Jack’s stories and watches Hotch just as totally. That smile that he always has with his son makes her feel amazing. She feels so privileged to be able to see him like this.

They settle together at the couch with Jack holding Sergio between Emily and Aaron, and Jack continues to talk. He chooses to for them to play go fish. When it gets close to dinner time, Aaron gets up to cook, and Emily, Jack, and Sergio move to the table and draw, so Aaron is able to hear his stories. 

They eat together and they laugh, and after dinner is over, they watch a movie together. When it is over, Jack begs to watch another movie, but Hotch tells him that he has to go to sleep. He has to go to school tomorrow too, and that is when he begins to whine. 

They put him to bed as always, but with two extra books. Unlike before, she stays at his bedtime the whole time. When she tries to stand, Jack whines that he doesn’t want her to go, so she doesn’t. She remains there until the final book when they tell him goodnight, and he responds sleepily, “I love you guys. Goodnight.”

“I love you too,” Emily says quietly as Aaron leans down to kiss his son’s forehead and says the same. Jack falls asleep then with a smile across his face. Emily stands and walks out of the bedroom, attempting to wipe the tear away before Hotch sees it. She doesn’t succeed. 

When he closes Jack’s bedroom door behind them, Hotch says, “I hope Jack’s whining won’t make you too late for your meeting.” 

As she pulls on her jacket, she says, “It’s fine if I’m late. Believe me, I’d rather be here.” Hotch simply nods in response, allowing her to decide whether or not say more about it. She doesn’t. “See you later,” she says. She doesn’t know how long he will be awake or how long she will be gone. She tells herself that it was just a manner of speech, but she hopes he will be awake when she returns. 

“See you later,” he responds, and she exits the apartment without another word. He changes into plaid blue and black pajama pants and an FBI sweatshirt. He lays on the couch with a briefing book. He wants to be here when she returns. He feels in his gut that something is wrong. 

* * *

Emily walks into the bar soaking wet. The jacket didn’t help her much, and she had forgotten her umbrella in a rush. She sees McAlister as soon as she walks in. She moves to his table quickly, completely ignoring the bartender asking what she’d like to drink. There is a glass of water on the table when she sits down, but she pays it no attention. She has no time. “What is it?”

“Never one for pleasantries,” he says, and she glares at him. He swallows and nods. “Yes, well. I received word that Ian Doyle escaped prison. I spoke to Tsia and Jeremy first because I was nearest them, and then I headed here. On the plane ride here, I learned that they had been killed along with the rest of the team. The only ones left are you, Clyde Easter, and me.”

“We are in danger,” she says firmly. 

“Yes, we are. And I worry that I may have brought him to Jeremy and Tsia, and maybe now you. But I had to tell you,” Sean says apologetically.

“You didn’t bring him to me,” she says. 

“But Emily—”

“He’s been here for a while. I should have known. I gotta go,” she says, and McAlister how she knows but she doesn’t answer. She is too focused on who else Ian found in locating here. She stands and hugs Sean quickly, saying, “Be careful,” before running out. 

She is gone before his words even reach her ears. “Be careful, Emily.” Words left hovering in the air. Sean’s head falls into his head. He leaves the bar after one more drink. When he gets to his hotel room a couple of hours later, Doyle puts a gun to his head. Sean dies with a prayer himself, and for Emily on his tongue.


	7. Chapter 7

Emily drives home with only one thought on her mind: protecting them. She knows what she’s going to do but not whether it will save them. Hopefully, Doyle won’t care about them and his grudge can be between the two of them alone, but she doubts it. If he knows, there will be no mercy in him.

She parks and outright runs inside. She stops at the door with the key in hand and breathes. She tries to steady her breathing and calm her mind, so she can think clearly. But even as she takes slow and silent steps inside the apartment, she can feel her heart racing. She could swear that the beating of her heart against her rib cage is audible. 

She plans what she must take with her in her mind. She walks slowly to her bedroom, but she is caught off guard by the snore that erupts into the room. In the darkness of the living room in the middle of the night, she had nearly made it all the way to her bedroom without seeing his sleeping form. Hotch lays on the couch with a large briefing book on his lap. He wears an FBI sweatshirt that doesn’t surprise her and pajama pants that do. If she was worried that she had awoken him, she is convinced that’s not true when he snores again, and she has to stifle a laugh. 

She picks up the binder from his lap before laying a blanket on top of him. She takes one moment more to look at him. She tells herself it is to make sure she didn’t wake him, but that isn’t all. She sighs and then she moves to her bedroom. She opens her safe, places the necklace on top of all the other documents for Hotch to find, but she closes the door of the dresser it sits in, so it will take some time for him to find it. She packs a couple of duffel bags with clothes and all of the weapons that she has with her. Not as much as she wishes she did, but she knows how to get more. 

She is walking out to the door with the determination to get as far away as possible before Hotch wakes when she hears something of a cry in Jack’s room. She cracks open the door just enough to step in and closes it immediately behind her. She doesn’t hear the door creak because Jack lets out another little whine. “Mommy,” he cries in his sleep. Disturbed by a nightmare that he can’t wake from in time, Emily understands how difficult it is, and she moves to his bedside. When he cries for his mommy again, Emily shakes his shoulders gently. He has one last cry, “Don’t hurt my mommy,” before his eyes open. 

“It’s just a nightmare. Go back to sleep, Jack,” she says, running her hand through his hair. 

“Emmy,” he says in sleepy confusion. “Did you have a nightmare too?”

“Yes,” she responds.  _ Yes, I’m living one _ , she thinks. Jack nods, and for him, that explains all. She sighs. This child doesn’t need anymore heartbreak or trauma. He deserves stability and love. “I love you,” she says to him quietly in the dark stillness of the room. If she dies, at least he will know that. 

“I love you too, Emmy,” he says, and with that, he is asleep. Emily remains there for a few more moments to watch him sleep comfortably before standing and walking to the living. 

This time, she does notice the creak of the door, and it sounds so loud now in the silence of the apartment. Her eyes take a moment to adjust to the lack of Jack’s nightlight, but then she sees him and sighs. “What are you doing awake, Hotch?” 

He sits up on the couch and lifts her duffles in his hands. “Apparently, stopping you from disappearing into the night,” he says in a scratchy voice. 

She swallows, but her want to cry remains. He looks hurt. He turns on the dim lamp on the nightstand, and she looks away because she can see his hurt and concern so plainly on his face, and she can’t handle it. “I wasn’t—” she begins, but he cuts her off. 

“Running away with only what you can carry. By the weight of this bag, I assume weapons or books, and you aren’t a big reader,” he says, raising his voice. 

“I  _ love _ to read, excuse me,” she says, picking the wrong thing to argue, but she eases when a smirk of amusement appears on his face. He stands and walks to her then. She leans back against the wall, and he is just a foot from her now. They are too close, and she knows he will see right through her. 

His voice is a whisper when he speaks. “Tell me what is going on, Emily. What did you learn in your meeting with your boss that has you so scared?”

“Nothing,” she says, passing him expertly. She moves to the couch and lifts both of her bags onto her shoulders. 

“Talk to me, Emily!” He shouts then. “What’s going on?” 

“Quiet,” she announces in a whisper-shout. “Jack is asleep.”

It is Aaron’s turn to sigh. “Yes. He is. You put him back to sleep. You might as well have told him goodbye with how you’re acting.”

“How am I acting?” She asks as she makes her way to the door. She turns around, looking into his eyes and expecting an answer. It may seem sarcastic to anyone else but Aaron knows what she’s asking. She’s asking to be seen.

Aaron takes a deep breath and takes steps, slow and steady, just like his words as he speaks in a low tone. “You’re acting like someone trying to balance your worst decisions. You have no other choices, so you’re choosing between two terrible things, and I think you have chosen the terrible that puts you in danger but keeps us safe,” Hotch says, standing directly in front of her now.

“You think that?” She whispers, breathless. Her head leans back against the door. His palm reaches to her face, touching her softly as his thumb draws circles on her soft skin. 

A tear escapes her eye, and he wipes it away. “I do.”

She finally breaks eye contact with him. The moment, the room, and her body are charged. She pinches the bridge of her nose, and Aaron’s hand drops to his side. She tries to think of what to do, but all she can think of is what he will say if she tells him. “I don’t want to put either of you in danger,” she says, still not looking at him.

“Emily, I don’t know what’s going on, so I can’t know that we will be totally safe, but you can’t just leave us. We don’t want you to leave.  _ I _ don’t want you to leave,” he says. She nods. If the touch hadn’t stopped her in her tracks, then that definitely did. It is like her heart is exploding with warmth. Like more than she expected she would feel when she imagined him saying that. 

She lets the two bags slide from her arms to the ground. “Okay,” she whispers. “Okay.”

She moves to her bedroom. “Emily?” he asks over his shoulder as he still faces the door. 

“Sit. I’ll be back,” she says without looking at him. He does as she says and takes a seat back on the couch where he had slept. His thoughts need to be clear, he reminds himself, as he watches her walk away. He cannot get the thought of her soft skin from his mind though. He wipes the sleep from his eyes, and looks back up to see Emily hovering anxiously in the door. The first thing he notices is the frown on her lips. The second is the sad look in her eyes. The third is the stack of papers in her hands, and the fourth is the beautiful golden chain hanging from her wrist with a ring attached. 

He takes a deep breath and pats on the couch next to him. She breathes in through pursed lips and crosses the room in steady steps that don’t match her racing heart. She sits down next to him and lays the papers on the coffee table in front of them. She lays the necklace closest to them on the table beneath the spread out papers. Hotch sees so many redacted lines on the papers. He sees the picture of Emily when she was younger, but mostly his looks at the interconnected hands on the ring. 

“This is why I must leave, and it’s why I need to take the weapons,” she says as she picks at her nails with her hands in her lap. 

“Explain it to me,” Hotch says and takes her hand in his. She looks into his eyes, and she feels comfort despite everything else that is making her fearful and anxious.

“I worked with a unit, JTF-12, through Interpol where we profiled terrorists in order to bring them and their operations down. I went undercover as an arms dealer named Lauren Reynolds to take down Ian Doyle,” she says. 

“I know of him. Why you?” He asks, squeezing her hand again. 

She looks away and sighs. “I fit his type perfectly. I got in as an arms dealer. I became his girlfriend, and then…” 

“His fiancée,” he says when she drifts off. 

She meets his eyes again with all of the bravery that she can manage in worry of his unhappiness. “Do you judge me?” 

His hand touches her face softly with the hand that isn’t holding hers. “Never, Emily. I could never judge you. You did your job. You put him away.”

“I did, but that’s the problem. The team, and my profile specifically, put him away. And now he has escaped the prison he was in. He has killed two of my former team members, and he is after me now. He will want me dead, and I fear that he will go after you and Jack as well to punish me fully,” she says looking down at the papers pointlessly as though she doesn’t have them memorized from looking at them so often. Hotch’s hand drops to his lap as he watches Emily intently.

“For faking your relationship?” Hotch asks. 

“More than that. Doyle came to trust me, and in time, he introduced me to his greatest secret: his son. Declan was a mere child then. Just a little younger than Jack. Bright blonde hair and blue eyes and a love for his father despite only being his son in secret. I never put him in the profile. I never told anyone of his relationship to Ian. I took him and his nanny to America. I knew if Declan’s existence was ever determined he would be harmed or killed to get at Doyle, so I hid away after I… after I faked his death,” she says, looking back at him finally to see his reaction. She is surprised by the small grin on his face. “Hotch?” she asks. “What do you think?”

“I’m impressed by you,” Hotch says simply. She looks up at him with disbelief on her face. His smile only grows. “I’m serious, Emily. You did your job, and you protected Declan and yourself.”

“And, now, I must protect you and Jack as well,” Emily says. “I think that Ian could come to be jealous of both you and Jack. I can’t risk it.

“I understand what you are saying,” he says, sliding a hand onto her back. 

“Then you understand why I must go, draw him away, and end this,” she says. 

This time, it is Hotch who sighs. He squeezes her hand. He leans toward her slightly and whispers, “That’s not what teams do.”

“But, Hotch, this isn’t the team’s fight,” she argues after lifting her head and looking into his eyes. Their faces are so close. Emily would happily lean closer if she wasn’t so distracted.

He notices how her eyes linger on his lips, and he cannot help a small grin. “Your fight is ours. Don’t you understand that we would do anything for you.”

“But I can’t put you in danger,” she argues. She attempts it to be fierce, but instead it is sad. She is too fearful. The hand that has been holding hers lets go, and she misses it immediately. That hand though reaches up to her face, and she leans into the touch with closed eyes.

“Don’t you understand that  _ I _ would do anything for you,” he says. She meets his eyes and a single tear falls. 

“But—”

“Stay until the morning, Emily. Please. Then, we can plan what to do. We can include the others, and we can stop him from hurting you. Stay,” he says. She never would have expected this from him. She never would have expected to hear him plead. She definitely would never have expected one of his hands to hold her face and the other to rub her back. She may have thought about it, but she never expected it. 

“Are you sure?” she asks in a whisper. 

“Yes. Allow me to help you,” he says. “Trust me.”

That is all it takes. Two words. Two words and the tears leave her eyes. If it weren’t for the kindness in his words and his touch, she would chide herself for the show of emotion in front him. It’s another thing she wouldn’t have expected. 

He wraps both of his arms around her. He pulls her close. He holds her, and she cries. 

As her cries settle and her body eases, she falls asleep with her head on his shoulder. He tries to stand, but she pulls him closer. He lays back on the couch with her and pulls the blanket over the two of them. He brushes soft, black strands from her face. He swears to himself to stay awake. He fails.


End file.
